


Last Christmas

by starry-buttercup (DoppelUmbra)



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Getting Together, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28341174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoppelUmbra/pseuds/starry-buttercup
Summary: Jaskier stopped the car, and stared at the hundreds of blinking fairy lights that decorated the house in front of him. This year’s cabin was incredibly pretty. Jaskier would be the first to admit that when the booking for the place to celebrate that year’s Christmas fell into Lambert’s hands, he was afraid they would end up in a creepy and deteriorated house, by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Yet, somehow Lambert managed to outdone every one of them. It was their annual tradition, their special time. A Christmas with their chosen family and their friends. It was a time that Jaskier kept close to his heart, and nothing would keep him away from it. Not even Geralt.*Or ‘The Last Christmas’ fic I have been thinking about since September
Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Jaskier | Dandelion & Lambert
Comments: 8
Kudos: 62





	Last Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic in a very long time and I'm really nervous about it. Hope you enjoy it!

Jaskier stopped the car, and stared at the hundreds of blinking fairy lights that decorated the house in front of him. This year’s cabin was incredibly pretty. Jaskier would be the first to admit that when the booking for the place to celebrate that year’s Christmas fell into Lambert’s hands, he was afraid they would end up in a creepy and deteriorated house, by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Yet, somehow Lambert managed to outdone every one of them. It was their annual tradition, their special time. A Christmas with their chosen family and their friends. It was a time that Jaskier kept close to his heart, and nothing would keep him away from it. Not even Geralt.

With a sigh, Jaskier left the car. He hung his bag on one shoulder and took the tray from the passenger seat. He was on pastries’ duty this year. Closing the door, he headed towards the cabin, but before he could even knock, the door jerked open.

“Fucking finally! You were just being late so you wouldn’t have to help!” Lambert grumbled, taking the tray from his hands. Jaskier knew he didn’t want to help, just to steal some sweets.

“Did it work? I can come later if there’s still something to do”

“Ha, ha,” Lambert said pointedly. “Eskel hasn’t arrived yet, so he beat you at that.”

“No? I thought he would be here already,” Jaskier’s heart skipped a beat.

“Don’t look so disappointed, buttercup, he’s on his way. Got delayed at work,” Lambert said, watching his face carefully, searching something.

Jaskier hummed in acknowledgment, finally taking off his coat. For a moment he felt ridiculous of having thought that Eskel wouldn’t be here. He would have told him yesterday, when they talked.

“Jaskier!” Triss' voice called him from another room, guiding him where she was. Lambert disappeared with the tray of cookies, while Jaskier followed his friend’s voice to the living room. Triss was decorating the Christmas tree, wearing an ugly sweater that somehow she managed to pull off perfectly. Life was unfair.

“Hello dear, you look lovely as always,” he said as he kissed her cheek.

“You don’t look that bad yourself”

“You know that’s a lie, lass,” Vesemir teased, making his presence known. Jaskier just smiled, and went to hug him, kissing his cheek too. He had missed the old man so much this past year. “You know that you don’t have to wait till Christmas to see me, right?”

“Hey, I also saw you on birthdays too” Jaskier joked back, but more seriously he murmured, just for Vesemir to hear “It’s been a rough year”

“I know kiddo, I know”

Jaskier could feel the tears trying to embarrass him, so he hid his face on Vesemir's shoulder, in a valiant effort to control his emotions. This man was the paternal figure he had never had, and even though he met him well in his twenties, the feelings weren't less for it. Vesemir was always there for him: for the advice, for the scolding, and for the laughs. And he was eternally grateful for having been practically adopted by the man.

“Where’s Aiden?” asked Jaskier, clearing his throat and letting Vesemir go.

“Here I am. Wouldn’t mind a little help”

He was carrying more firewood than he should, and Jaskier rushed towards him, taking half of the load and heading towards the fireplace to replenish the stack of logs for when it gets too cold to get outside.

Aiden was one of the last additions to the family, besides Triss. Yet, somehow, Triss has always been there, in the background, till she was invited to celebrate with them a few years ago when she didn’t have where to spend Christmas. After that, it became a kind of tradition for her too.

Aiden, on the other hand, was introduced last year by Lambert, and he got on so well with them that it seemed as if he had always been one of the merry band of misfits. It was a surprise, really, and they couldn’t help to tease Lambert a little bit, how an asshole like him ended up a cool and charming guy like Aiden. Deep down, really deep down, Lambert was a sweetheart too, and Aiden was a lucky one as well.

Jaskier was making the pile of firewood neater, when a well-known gruff voice called his name. Even though he was resigned to meet him there, the pang of anxiety he felt was like fingers closing around his throat. He willed himself to breathe, schooled his face in a neutral smile and turned around to face Geralt. Of course, Yennefer was with him.

“Geralt! Yennefer! It’s good to see you two!” for his surprise, he only had to half fake his enthusiasm. He felt a little spark of happiness at seeing them. At seeing him. He didn’t reach for a hug, though.

“We didn’t know if you’d come,” Yennefer commented offhandedly. Of course they had noticed how much he had been avoiding them. It had been odd, to be honest. He was so used to being around Geralt, that it had been terribly hard at first to keep his distance. Geralt didn’t look for him either, and he came to realize that he was the one who always reached for the other. He didn’t blame him though, he knew it was hard for him to socialize, but it hurt a little bit nonetheless. He felt so stupid, on one hand he was desperate to avoid them, and on the other he wished Geralt had tried harder to reach for him. But he didn’t, and Jaskier had been a mess for many months.

Something broke between them last Christmas, and none of them had been willing to acknowledge it on those times they had no other choice than to meet. But it was hard to ignore it now. The hesitancy in Geralt’s demeanor, and Jaskier avoidance were clear enough. If Eskel hadn’t caught him on that fateful day, if he hadn’t been a solid figure in his life for this last year, Jaskier was sure he wouldn’t have been able to be there that night.

“I’d never miss Christmas”, he smiled.

Vesemir diverted their attention to some other topic Jaskier had no presence of mind to follow, yet he felt grateful for the help. He let his eyes roam on the decoration of the room, before inevitably landing again on the couple. He couldn’t help to remember.

_Geralt had been in a bad mood, but what else was new? He had quarreled with Yennefer yet again. Jaskier didn’t even know why this time, but Geralt decided to drink every bottle he could find in the house. The rest were sleeping, and Jaskier self-appointed himself to be the one in charge of keeping Geralt from drowning in his own vomit._

_He had been a fool. Geralt was on the way of being too drunk to even put two thoughts together, but still he tried to speak with him. Deep inside, Jaskier knew that it was just a matter of time before whatever was happening between Yennefer and Geralt turned into a heartbreak for him. He just knew, but he had to try. He had too. So he spoke about longing and about happiness. He invited him to get away, maybe to the coast, wishing with all his heart Geralt understood what he was trying to convey. Even though he had plucked up a lot of courage to talk to him, he still wasn’t brave enough to hand him his heart so overtly. He had hoped for the best, yet Geralt brushed it off, and started to snore in no time. It hurt, it really did, but somehow Jaskier was relieved that he wasn’t rejected directly or harshly, that their friendship was safe._

_“Well, that could have been a lot worse,” he said to the air and took a moment to calm his heart. Counting his breath, in and out, he tried to put himself back together. When he felt as ready as he could be, he pushed Geralt lightly, waking him up. “Alright sleepy head, time to go to bed.”_

_“Jaskier?”_

_“No, it’s Santa. Come on, let’s get you to bed,” Jaskier said, pulling Geralt’s hand in an attempt to help him get up, but the man was dead weight. “I wouldn’t mind a little help here,” he encouraged, yet instead of sitting up, Geralt pulled him down so abruptly that Jaskier fell heavily on him._

_“I’m so sorry! Are you alright?” Jaskier cried, trying to get up and assess the damage, but Geralt just held him tighter, without letting him move an inch. His breath caught in his lungs, and he could almost feel the shift in the ambiance. He put a little distance between them – the little distance he was allowed to –, searching into Geralt’s eyes._

_Jaskier was so aware of the arm around his waist, of Geralt’s chest underneath his palms, and of the warmth of the body he was lying on, that he couldn’t really process what was happening, and before his brain could even catch up, Geralt was kissing him._

_For a moment, it was all emptiness and confusion, and then his heart was soaring. Geralt had understood what he was trying to say, and he was kissing him. Jaskier felt as if he could laugh maniacally of happiness. He couldn’t really believe it, but it was happening. It was really happening._

_They kissed, and kissed, and then a little more. Jaskier felt as if he was in a dream, and couldn’t help to giggle in between kisses. This was the best Christmas present he could have ever hoped for. He lost track of the time, and before he was aware of it, they drifted to sleep._

_Jaskier woke up when somebody threw a pillow at his face._

_“Come on, sleeping beauty. Get ready, we are going to get breakfast”_

_He blinked slowly, trying to chase the sleepiness and the confusion away. It took some effort to recognize where he was, and immediately he spotted what was missing._

_“Where is Geralt?” He felt a little bit disappointed in waking up alone._

_“Upstairs, I think. Hurry up!”_

_“Alright, alright”_

_Jaskier yawned his way upstairs, still half asleep but feeling giddy inside. The excitement from the previous night was still running through his veins, making his steps look like a little dance. He was so happy he could hardly believe it. Happy and greedy, because there was no way he’d miss a good morning kiss. With that idea in mind, he peeked into Geralt’s room ready to singsong a good morning, but the words got stuck in his throat._

_Yennefer and Geralt were there. Kissing. Pressed against each other as if they wanted to fuse._

_He could swear he felt his heart stop and break. He wished to feel confusion, he wished to feel betrayal, but the only thing he was feeling was resignation. He knew it was too good to be true, but he had wanted so hard to believe that Geralt would want him in that way. But reality punched him on the face._

_The couple made a noise, and that cued Jaskier to escape before he was caught being his pathetic self. He turned to go, but before he could do so, he found Eskel, watching him. When their eyes met, Jaskier was sure Eskel knew exactly what he saw, what was happening just in front of him. The understanding he found in his expression made his eyes start to sting, and when steps echoed from the stairs he could only stare at him in panic, wishing that Eskel could make him disappear._

After that horrible day, Jaskier avoided Geralt and Yennefer whenever he could. Sometimes it was hard, since their lives and friends were completely intertwined. But Eskel’s constant company and help was a pillar for him. They had always been good friends, but after what they shared that day, they had become incredibly close.

At first, Eskel was there because of his heartbreak, the mountain of a man too soft for his own good, but as Jaskier became better at handling it they somehow stuck together, too used now to each other’s company. He would sometimes drop at Eskel’s house to help him to mow the lawn, or Eskel would pick him up after work to have dinner in that new place they wanted to try, or just sit on the sofa and watch some awful random movie while eating pizza. The worse the movie was, the better.

With time and Eskel’s constant presence, he got better. He was better. It still hurt a little to see them together, he had spent so many years loving Geralt that he somehow had to learn how to deal with this new reality. He was doing well. Even now, watching them being so domestic made him smile a little bit. He was fine, and he was going to get better.

After a while, when everyone started to play Gwent, he moved to sit by the window, staring outside feeling a little anxious. It had started to snow lightly, but the weather forecast predicted heavy snowfalls for the rest of the night. Soon, it wouldn’t be safe to drive anymore, and Eskel hadn’t arrived yet. He’d call him, but he didn’t want to add a distraction.

Another thing that changed along the year were his feelings for Eskel. His lovely and kind Eskel. At first, he thought it was just because he felt grateful, but as the months went by, he had to admit to himself that it wasn’t the case. He had fallen in love with Eskel. His kindness and thoughtfulness planted a seed in Jaskier’s heart, and as time went by, and he got to know him better, it started to bloom. He couldn’t stop it, and not because he didn’t tried. He tried so hard at first. What if he just was replacing Geralt? What if he just was using him? What if he just was like an odd duckling following the first person to show him that kind of care? But time proved that he was selling himself short. He wasn’t using Eskel, he wasn’t confused. He was falling in love with Eskel, just as he was falling out of love with Geralt. And he didn’t know what to do with it. He was enjoying having those soft feelings, and how his heart started to run wild every time he even grazed Eskel’s hand, but at the same time, he was afraid. Geralt’s shadow still too present in his mind, making him feel like a coward, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake. He was just his friend and Eskel didn’t want him.

“You look like a kicked puppy,” teased Lambert, materializing besides him. It always annoyed him that such big guys could move so silently.

“Oh, shut up”

“He’s on his way, stop behaving like a lovesick fool”

“I’m not lovesick!” Jaskier complained feeling his cheek heat up with an annoying telltale blush. Was he that evident that even Lambert could catch up with his feelings? Did everyone know? He was starting to panic inside when Lambert’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

When Jaskier's eyes met Lambert’s, he could find just warmth in them. Yet, as always, it was ruined when the little shit opened his mouth again.

“Sure not, buttercup. Don’t tell Geralt, but Eskel has always been my favorite too”

“Lambert! Shut up!” Jaskier murmured in between clenched teeth. He didn’t mind Lambert’s knowing, but that didn’t mean that he wanted the whole house to know.

“Ok, ok, I’ll shut up, buttercup. I just wanted to let you know that I’m happy you are here tonight, I missed you this year… we all did.” Lambert’s words were so sincere, that Jaskier felt touched by them. He was about to reply, when his friend talked again. “But more important, I’m happy that you are better and moving on after that fine ass”

Jaskier just threw a pillow at him.

Eskel wasn’t driving as fast as he’d have liked. The weather was getting worse and worse, and he didn’t want to take chances. And perhaps, he also might be delaying his arrival, feeling a little bit anxious and suffering a tinsy-bit of a cold feet situation. He had made a decision, but after things kept going wrong all day, he started to have second thoughts.

Everything seemed against him. At work, two people called sick, and he had to take over their duties. Of course, he had to redo all the work of one of his colleagues, since the file got corrupted. Then, his boss asked him to stay a few over hours to help him finish their job before they closed for the holidays. He couldn’t say no. His boss was a good man who wished he was with his family as much as Eskel did, so the two of them stayed behind to finish the job. Then, when his truck refused to start, he was ready to smash something into pieces, his frustration raging in his blood. Yet, he managed to calm himself. At the end, his boss – blessed the man– lent him his car. It was a little uncomfortable for somebody of his size, but he felt ridiculously grateful for it.

And here he finally was, on his way to the cabin, more than five hours later than he planned. He had wanted to be one of the first to arrive, being prepared always calmed his nerves when he felt anxious. Not that he normally was, but with what he had planned for the day, feeling all that anxiousness was nothing. Last year’s Eskel would be amazed if he knew how things would end up being after that day.

_“Shit,” Eskel murmured when Jaskier’s watery eyes filled with the panic of being discovered. Without even thinking, he took a few big strides, and pulled Jaskier behind him just in time for Lambert to appear._

_“Let’s go, losers!” He called. Geralt and Yennefer left the room, hand in hand, and Eskel could feel Jaskier’s grip on his clothes get tighter._

_“You just go, we’ll catch up later”_

_“You sure?” Asked Lambert, searching into Eskel’s eyes, aware that something was amiss._

_“Yes” Eskel knew he would ask later, but for now, Lambert let them escape with that. Geralt and Yennefer seemed to be too invested in their world to notice anything outside their bubble._

_The three went downstairs, but only when he was sure everyone was outside and the door closed behind them, Eskel turned around._

_“Jaskier…,” he called, putting his hands on Jaskier’s shoulders, trying hard think in a way to soothe him. He knew how Jaskier felt about Geralt, everyone knew it. Everyone except Geralt, it seemed… that, or if he knew his friend as well as he did, he knew but he chose not to do a thing about it. Not letting Jaskier know he was interested too, nor the other way around, whatever he chose to do. Somehow he felt it was a little bit unfair for Jaskier, but he was no one to dictate how Geralt should behave._

_Being honest with himself, he pitied Jaskier a bit. He was so in love with Geralt that sometimes it hurt to see their interactions. And when Yennefer appeared, he knew she’d be bad news for Jaskier. He wished he had been wrong, but here they were._

_“I’m fine,” Jaskier said, without trying to explain himself to Eskel, he clearly knew what it was all about. “I’m fine”._

_“No, you are not,” Eskel said softly. He could see the tears unshed, he could feel him trembling slightly under his hands, and he wouldn’t let him lie to him; not when he always pushed his feelings aside just for Geralt’s sake._

_Just with that, just with Eskel’s concern, Jaskier broke. Big heavy tears started to flow, and Jaskier started to cry, his body shaking with the force of his sobs. Eskel just hugged him, not knowing what to say to make it better, not needing any explanation to know what was wrong. He knew, somehow he had always known everything would end up like this. He never thought he’d be the one to catch Jaskier when it happened, but he was glad he was there. Even though he couldn’t find anything to say, even though he felt his own heart ache with each raw sob, he was glad he was there for his friend._

_Eskel hugged him tighter, rubbing small soothing circles in Jaskier’s back._

_Jaskier just clung to him, crying his heartbreak out._

After that day, they became inseparable. They had always been good friends, but now it seemed they were joined by an invisible thread.

Eskel had tried not to leave him alone. Jaskier was a social butterfly, but in reality he didn’t have many close friends. He spent most of his time with Geralt, and when he started to avoid him, he was bound to get lonely. Jaskier’s family was out of the picture too, so he was alone most of the time. And being honest with himself, after what happened with Geralt, he was worried about him, so he tried to be there.

It had taken Geralt a few months to even notice the change in Jaskier behavior, and Eskel knew who was the one who put all the effort in making that friendship last that long. Jaskier had been avoiding Geralt, and Geralt didn’t seem to notice that absence in his life. The longer he spent with Jaskier, the more incredulous about it he felt.

Days became exciting for Eskel. Even though he tried to be the one helping the other, Jaskier’s constant presence improved his life in ways he couldn’t have ever fathom. Just having a laugh over silly things, shopping together, or even cooking dinner became a pleasant task instead of a duty. He started to enjoy the day to day in ways he thought it wasn’t possible in his usually boring –but still pleasant– life.

Those first months he couldn’t say that he had been in love with Jaskier, not really. Sure, he loved his friend, but he wasn’t _in love_ with him. That changed rather suddenly. One minute they were both washing the dishes, chatting about nothing, and when Eskel looked up and saw Jaskier’s small smile he had his proverbial _‘Oh’_ moment. Yet he couldn’t do anything about it, it wouldn’t have been right. He was trying to help Jaskier put his broken heart back together, not to take advantage of his vulnerable situation. So he waited and pined from afar.

As weeks went by and Jaskier was back to being his old self, Eskel started to long for him more than ever. Could he take a leap of faith? Sometimes he felt that Jaskier was interested in him too, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous in assuming it. After pondering about his course of action, he finally decided he’d take a chance. Jaskier was worth it. So he planned to do it that Christmas, he thought it’d be a romantic gesture, to soothe a bad memory with a – hopefully– good one.

However, nothing that day was going according to plans, and Eskel was having second thoughts. He was a fool, he couldn’t do that to Jaskier on the anniversary of a painful day for him. He wanted Jaskier in his life, as more than a friend, he couldn’t make him feel bad.

It was so difficult. He didn’t know how to confess his feelings without making Jaskier feel bad for rejecting him, or worse, making Jaskier feel that he had to say yes to him in order not to hurt his feelings.

He sighed. He was so sure in the morning, and now he was so full of doubts… maybe he’ll just stop thinking about it, and start wishing for the best or for a Christmas miracle. Maybe he had to just act normally and see where the night went.

Eskel parked in front of the cabin, and seeing Jaskier with his face pressed in the window, waving and smiling at him made him relax little by little.

Eskel was putting things away in his room when he heard a knock at the door.

“Come in”

It was Geralt. He seemed a little tense, fidgeting uncomfortably without saying anything. On any other night, Eskel would patiently wait for his friend to say what he wanted to say, but that night he wasn’t feeling particularly patient, especially towards Geralt.

“Geralt, what do you need to tell me?”

“Last year… I’m aware that… that you know what happened… I know you were with him throughout the year… I should say thank you, I guess,” Geralt sounded so unsure that Eskel felt a bit sorry for him. He loved his friend, but if they were going to finally talk about it, ha had to be sincere.

“You don’t really have to. I didn’t do it for you”

“I know. I regret what happened… I was a mess… I wasn’t sure… Yennefer was…is so volatile, and Jaskier ‘s … Jaskier”

“I know,” he truly did, he was not blind. He saw how Geralt used to watch Jaskier sometimes, till he met Yennefer. But that didn’t seem to mean anything for him. Somehow Jaskier was never enough for Geralt, and Yennefer was always too much. It wasn’t fair for Jaskier to be discarded every time she was around. “But you shouldn’t have given him hope, though” it felt good to finally say that, his voice betraying the anger and disappointment he felt. He loved his friend, but he was a fucking idiot sometimes.

“I shouldn’t have. But I made a choice”

“You did. And I made mine. I hope that doesn’t change things between us,” Eskel said. They knew each other well enough that he was confident that Geralt would understand. He waited, staring seriously at him.

“It won’t. Go for it”

“Where’s Eskel?” Jaskier asked. They had already had dinner, and everyone were in small groups, chatting so noisily that nobody hearing them would have guessed they were so few in the room.

“I think he said he was going to the car,” Aiden said.

“Is he still there?”

“It seems so”

Jaskier frowned, confused, it had been a few long minutes since Eskel went outside. He should have been back by then.

Making a quick decision, he went to grab a coat to chase after his friend. Normally, he’d have stolen it from Lambert, his leather jacket was amazing, but when he saw Eskel’s coat he couldn’t help himself and put it on, enjoying being surrounded by Eskel’s pleasant smell. Jaskier wasn’t a small man, but his stomach did a weird flip when the sleeves engulfed his hands, and he noticed that the shoulders of the coat were too big for him. He was sure he looked ridiculous, but he loved it.

He opened the door and the slap of the cold air almost made him regret the idea, but he kept going. He really wanted to spend Christmas with Eskel. Jaskier walked a few steps, and even though the first freezing impression, it wasn’t that bad outside. There was no wind, and the snow was falling so ethereally it seemed as if it was dancing its way down to the ground. And in the middle of the peaceful white scene, Eskel was resting against the car, staring into the night.

“If you are looking for Santa, I’m afraid to tell you that you missed him, he already left the gifts underneath the Christmas tree”

“Maybe not all the gifts I want fit underneath the tree”

“I knew you were a greedy bastard!”

Eskel smiled softly, but his eyes were oddly intense when they fixed on him.

“What are you doing here?” Jaskier asked when he was finally standing in front of Eskel. He was curious, but he was also trying to distract himself from the way Eskel’s was looking at him. It made him feel a little bit nervous and giddy at the same time.

“I needed a moment to think.”

“Am I bothering you? I can go inside…”

“No, you’d never bother me,” his voice, soft and lower than normally, made Jaskier weak.

“You scared me for a moment. I thought you wouldn’t be able to come. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without you,” Jaskier confessed, feeling the need to make Eskel aware of how important he was for him.

“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. For me, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without you too”

For a moment Jaskier didn’t know what to say, so he cleared his throat and blurted out the first thing he could think of.

“Aren’t you cold? I’m sure your hands are freezing,” he said, taking one of Eskel’s hands into his, in an attempt to warm them, but before he could fully start rambling, Eskel interrupted him.

“Are you wearing my coat?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, it was the first one I found,” Jaskier lied, feeling sheepish.

“It suits you. You should use more of my clothes,” he said, with a smug smile.

Jaskier froze on the spot, and his heart started to beat wildly, nervous and hopeful at the same time. What was Eskel trying to say?

“I’d like that,” he said, breathlessly.

Instead of replying, Eskel pulled him from the coat. Jaskier went with the movement, his legs shaky and clumsy, till he was almost pressed against Eskel’s chest. 

“Eskel?”

“Jaskier, I really hope I’m not reading this wrong… if I am, please, tell me now before I–“

Jaskier interrupted his struggle with a quick kiss, only managing to get a hint of the softness of his lips. He couldn’t help it. Eskel was nervous, and he was too sweet, and Jaskier’s heart was beating hard in his chest. Could it be? It had to be, right? He couldn’t have interpreted things wrong. Suddenly he didn’t feel so sure, and panic started to constrict his lungs.

“You aren’t? Am I reading it wrong? If I did, I’m so so–”

This time it was Eskel’s turn to interrupt him. His lips, soft but sure, muffled Jaskier’s squeak of surprise, and his arms hugged him tightly against him. Jaskier’s hands came to rest on his chest, as Eskel licked his lower lip, asking for permission to deepen it. Jaskier just moaned and willingly opened his mouth, caressing Eskel’s tongue with his. That was enough permission for Eskel to kiss him as thoroughly as he needed to.

The surrounding cold seemed to disappear, and even the falling snow didn’t seem to be able to touch them. Their world was reduced to each other’s arms, to each other’s lips, and the sensations that threatened to drown them. They kissed softly and deeply, savoring the moment they had desired for what it felt like ages, and none of them thought it would be really possible. But it was, and it was everything they could have hoped for and more.

Eskel broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Jaskier’s, and taking a moment to bask in the sensations that flooded his heart. He’d never thought he could achieve this kind of happiness, yet, here he was.

“You didn’t read it wrong. I love you,” he murmured, his voice hoarse and low, and his eyes fixed on the face of his love. Jaskier beamed at him, taking his breath away with his next words.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it. It was supposed to be finished by the 24th, but life happens. 
> 
> English isn't my first language, so I apologise for any mistake.


End file.
